GCSE English Literature

Unlike most subjects, English Literature isn't about learning by rote; you need to be familiar with and understand the texts you have studied but you don't need to learn things by heart. So your exam preparation will be a little different than it is from other subjects. It';s important to practice past exam papers so that you can develop the skill of writing answers in exam situations. There are several revision guides available, some of which have tips and hints for the exam, and others that act as companion guides to the texts. There are also some useful online resources you can make use of.

Syllabus/Specifications

Each exam board produces a syllabus listing exactly what you need to know to pass the exams. Some students find this useful to use as checklist of what you have revised. Make sure you check with your teacher which exam board and syllabus you are following.

Revision Guides

Revision guides are printed books which summarise everything you need to know to do well in the exam, and are an important part of many people's revision. We have reviews of hundreds of revision guides including:

Providing in-depth coverage of this revision guide also doubles up as a classroom companion which can be used throughout the year. Containing detailed diagrams and clear references to the AQA specification this book is ideal for structured revision.

Providing in-depth coverage of the AQA GCSE English literature course this revision guide also doubles up as a classroom companion which can be used throughout the year. Containing detailed diagrams and clear references to AQA specification this book is ideal…

Past & Speciman Papers

Attempting sample and past papers is a good way to check how your revision is going, and will allow you to become more comfortable answering exam-style questions. Links to several past papers are below, some of which can be viewed for free online. They are arranged by exam board, if you don’t know which exam board your school is using then you should ask your teacher.

Online Resources

As well as buying a revision guide, you can add variety to your revision using free online resources. Bear in mind that the content of some of these websites might not be as reliable or up-to-date as printed books, check that the content matches your syllabus and if in doubt ask your teacher.